


Escapism

by Hazy_Slumber



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, How Do I Tag, Noob writer, One Shot, Songfic, Vessels deserve better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23808691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hazy_Slumber/pseuds/Hazy_Slumber
Summary: A one-shot based on the animation Escapism on YouTube. As a vessel remembers the white palace, they remember somethings that made them rather happy they escaped the Abyss.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Escapism

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the animation Escapism | Hollow Knight Animation by SAD-ist on youtube. Its amazing and almost all of this fanfic is based on that one animation but instead in written form. I do not claim the idea or anything that looks like it would come directly from the animation and I do not claim to own or anything like that stuff but the idea to have this one animation in a written form. I also am putting a disclaimer and all of that stuff, you guys read fanfics, y'all know the deal, onto the story!
> 
> Link to video: watch?v=mPpTrk0-uf8
> 
> Also, reviews are very much welcome, I want to try getting better at writing ; u ;
> 
> \- Star_Finder

They looked across the blue waters, their reflection shimmering in the small rippling waves.

There nonidentical horns showing in the water. The longhorn attached to their right moved strangely in the waters as the other stood lonesome.

It was...calming for them.

Feeling the breeze brush across their mask and cloak was like a breath of fresh air.

They probably would have hummed if they could.

They took a moment to look around the blue lake, to feel the soft sand-like dirt that was under them. They took a deep breath, being one with the cave before looking back down at their reflection.

The striking white mask showed signs of wear...no… signs of damage. Swift cracks shown from deep within. Cracks reaching up to the top of their horns down to near their eyes. Down to their dark sockets of void.

Gently, the mask started to change, the cracks disappearing as if they were washing off, their black as night eyes turning from having pain to… innocence.

They were remembering those days…

Before they were thrown away, discarded in that deep abyss.

* * *

They were pulled from there thoughts as they heard the tapping of their siblings' feet walking across the path. They turned around, rushing up to join them in there line up. The vessel followed them, walking along the path that hundreds of siblings' had walk across before them.

_I guess I have to face, that in this awful place._

One of the vessels before them was shaking they noticed, there curled horns vibrating before freezing and acting as nothing happened. Or were they just breathing heavily? Maybe they were...scared? Of what, they didn't know.

_I shouldn't show a trace,_

Silently as ever they stepped in line with there siblings, hundreds… maybe thousands there were, all with different horns. Yet they all had the same face... They guessed they could call it. All from their dear father, the pale king.

It made them feel something, the void curling into its self, in a greatly uncomfortable way.

Where they nervous?

Of what?

_Of doubt._

* * *

The sharp sound of metal upon metal was heard throughout the room. Nail against nail they fought.

_But pulled against the grains,_

It was one of their kin again, this time another. They didn't know their name…if they had one. Through the sparks as their nails met, they saw the mask of their sibling. The sibling having two long, identical horns with a small spike in the middle on both.

They were fighting against the one there father favored most, the one who won every single match against there other siblings.

They pressed against there opponent before braking off. They step back and swung widely as the favored vessel jumped out of the way, landing behind them and creating brilliant white spikes out from the ground on contact.

_I feel a bit of pain_

The blast pushed them out of the fighting area, their face smacking across the floor sending waves of pain throughout their being. They felt incredibly dazed, this must've been what their inner void was trying to say earlier.

The nail that had flown high into the air during the shockwave impaled the floor right by there head, they almost flinching hearing how close it was.

Pathetic...they failed…

In front of their siblings...

Their determination was breaking.

_That I would rather do_

Still dazed, they brought themself up using the nail as support, they shook gently bring themselves up, feeling regret and ashamed.

They glanced at there reflection in the nail, a crack had formed at the top of there shell-like mask…

They failed.

_Without._

* * *

The breeze from the white palace drifted through their cloak, the gray cloth flowing gently in the wind.

This small feeling of peace felt strange…

_I would rather be_

It almost felt like the last...

_Free_

The void in them tightened.

_Free…_

* * *

They were standing in line again, the air tenser than ever. Their siblings stood straight yet some were clearly shaking. They felt oddly calm, accepting almost. The darkroom slowly filled with other vessels.

_I would rather be_

One of the siblings next to them was shaking, the trembling so visible with there hunched shoulders and more widened eyes, especially seen on the small horn in the center of its head.

They looked like they would have been crying if they could.

_Free_

The taller vessel gently placed a hand on the shacking one. It looked up likely surprised.

_Free_

They offered there hand and the smaller one slowly took it.

It comforted them both as they stood, side by side, sibling by sibling, as they waited in the increasing line of vessels.

_Free_

* * *

The darkroom lightened up before the flash of bright light appeared in the room. Two figures walked in, a short figure with seven spikes on its head, a powerful aura, their father, and a kingsmould.

_Free_

The door closed behind them, plunging the room into darkness once more.

_Free_

* * *

Pain flowed throughout their body, too pained to move they slowly managed to open their eyes.

The room shifted and spun, but through the blurriness, they could still tell they were in a new area altogether. Bricks lining the few walls that they were able to see, ceiling-high overhead.

_Free_

Small spots looked like they were dropping from the ceiling, falling and colliding with what sounded like masks or skulls.

They snapped their eyes open despite the pain, a crack was heard as a sharp pain spread throughout there mask.

They tried to shift there wait but only managed to turn their head, face to face with the mangled bodies of their siblings.

_Free_

They were terrified, they wanted to get out.

They pressed against there body, trying to tear themselves off from the destroyed bodies of their kind, but to no avail, their body was too damaged. More cracks sounded off from their mask, void leaking from the larger cracks.

They almost felt the void tears pierce the corner of there eyes, dripping out onto the bodies underneath them, it must've been hundreds.

They wanted to scream and shout but nothing came out, they didn't have a mouth after all.

They stayed in their horrid position, knowing only pain and sorrow as they felt themselves crack more, as they too, were buried in the piles of their kin.

_From here..._

* * *

Their gaze lifted from their reflection, as they stared aimlessly across the lake.

They had calmed themselves down, only to await the journey ahead.

They breathed deeply, feeling the gentle breeze brush past there mask, and cause ripples across the blue waters.

The soft crushing of grass made them turn around, it was there traveling companion, or at least one of them. The small horn on its head was easily recognizable.

They were followed by some of the other vessels that had been able to make it out of the Abyss. A small group, but they were all family.

Even without a voice, the vessel was able to understand them.

It was time to move on.

They silently sighed before picking up the one-horned vessel, following the others out from the Blue Lake and into the Resting Grounds.

They may have cracks in their masks from there past trials.

But, they were free now.

And that's all that matters.


End file.
